Challenges to Intimacy

Desire Discrepancy

An Overwhelmingly common issue for couples is that of Desire Discrepancy. No two people have the same tastes, eye color or preferences. The same is true for the area of Sexual Desire. While Desire Discrepancy is natural what is also natural yet very upseting is how a couple goes about handling these differences. Guilt, poor self worth, blame and emotional distancing and alienation are common. This creates a challenge for a couple in the area that is exceptionally intimate and intricate for individuals.

Painful sex is a reality for about 10% of women. Dyspareunia (dis-pair-ee-ooh-nee-a) is the medical term for painful sex. Dyspareunia includes vaginismus, or problems with the pelvic floor muscle that prevents penetration of the vagina; vulvodynia, or inflammation of the area around the entrance to the vagina; and conditions such as interstitial cystitis, repeated infections, and endometriosis.

Painful sex is difficult to diagnose and to cure. Most often, painful sex is managed through a combination of medications such as hormones and topical ointments, and sometimes includes physical therapy. Sexual pain can also be managed through psychotherapy, specifically using techniques from health psychology and medical family therapy.